North Korea closes universities for 10 months

North Korea effectively closed all universities in the country for ten months as of Monday and mobilized students for construction and other works in a bid to help rebuilding of the national economy, ITAR-TASS reported citing the Kyodo news agency.

North Korea's leadership told all universities to cancel classes, except those for graduating seniors and foreign students, through April next year when the country is going to have grandiose celebrations of the centenary anniversary since the birth of state founder Kim Il Sung, the sources said.

The North Korean authorities have proclaimed the goal to ''open the gate to a great, prosperous and powerful nation'' in 2012, and Pyongyang is striving to shore up the economy while advancing the process to transfer power from leader Kim Jong Il to his third son, Kim Jong Un.

North Korea has been promoting major construction projects including the construction of high-rise apartment houses in the Mansudae area in downtown Pyongyang.

28.06.11, 15:48

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